CNBC SOURCED RECORD
Benchmark: $4.14/gal Prior Labor Day Peak: $3.82 (2012) Record Barrier: $4.00+ Crossed

⛽ Labor Day Fuel Surge & Holiday Driving Impact Analyzer

Immediate Corridor Action

Select a Regional Travel Corridor preset to instantly update route balance sheets:

PADD Calibrated
Holiday Fuel Outlay
$92.39
Req: 16.9 gal (1.0 tank)
Holiday Surge Penalty
+$36.92
vs 2024/2025 avg (+66.6%)
Operating Cost Per Mile
24.3¢
Congestion hit: -8% MPG
Spread vs $4.00 Record
+$1.48
PADD 5 (West Coast)
Route & Fuel Parameters LIVE UPDATE
$2.50 (2019) $4.00 Historic Ceiling $6.50 (Peak)
0 mi (Commute) 750 mi 1,500 mi (Cross-Country)
Labor Day Gasoline Historical Trend (2010–2026)
Historical Labor Day Avg 2026 Surge Benchmark ($4.14) Active Corridor $4.00 Historic High Ceiling
Retail Fuel Price Component Margins $5.48/gal
Crude 52%
Refine 20%
Tax 16%
Dist 12%
1. Crude Oil Baseline
$2.85
52.0% ($91/bbl)
2. Refining Spread
$1.10
20.1% Crack spread
3. Fed & State Taxes
$0.88
16.1% (18.4¢ fed)
4. Distribution & Retail
$0.65
11.8% Station margin
Holiday Transit Fuel Expenditure Balance Sheet LD26-CORRIDOR-AUDIT
Audit Metric Parameter Active Scenario (2026) Benchmark (2024/2025) 2012 Labor Day Peak Surcharge Variance
Retail Fuel Benchmark $5.48/gal $3.29/gal $3.82/gal +$2.19/gal (+66.6%)
Route Distance 380 mi 380 mi 380 mi 0 mi (Constant)
Effective MPG (with Drag) 22.54 MPG 22.54 MPG 22.54 MPG -8.0% traffic loss
Fuel Volume Consumed 16.86 gal 16.86 gal 16.86 gal 0.00 gal
Total Route Fuel Outlay $92.39 $55.47 $64.41 +$36.92 (+66.6%)
Operating Cost Per Mile 24.31 ¢/mi 14.60 ¢/mi 16.95 ¢/mi +9.71 ¢/mi
Refuel Tank Stops 1 Fill-up (~1.0 tank) 1 Fill-up 1 Fill-up 17.0 gal tank limit
Energy Desk Methodology & Sources

CNBC Sourced Event: On Labor Day 2026, U.S. retail gasoline broke above the historic $4.00/gallon mark to reach a national average benchmark of $4.14/gal, surpassing the prior record of $3.82 set in September 2012.

PADD Refining Dynamics: Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts (PADD 1–5) capture regional infrastructure differentials: West Coast (PADD 5) carries higher state taxes (e.g. California CARB formulation), whereas Gulf Coast (PADD 3) benefits from refinery proximity.

Drag & Efficiency: Congestion drag accounts for frequent idling and braking along peak holiday corridors, reducing EPA combined fuel ratings between 0% and 25%.